New deep-sea crustacean species discovered in the Bahamas

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The new deep-sea crustacean species discovered in the Bahamas is called Booralana nickorum. The species is distinguished by its unique morphological features, especially in its pleotelson, or “tail”.

The discovery was made possible by a collaboration that included experts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, like Professor Duncan Irschick. 

The new species is a type of isopod, a form of crustacean. This is the second new species of isopod discovered as part of a long-term project in The Bahamas’ Exuma Sound

The new species, Booralana nickorum, is distinguished by unique morphological features, particularly in its pleotelson or ‘tail.’ The discovery was made possible through a collaboration that included experts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, like Professor Duncan Irschick

According to Earth.com, the new deep-sea crustacean species is threatened by the pet trade and mining industry

The Caribbean has many deep-sea ecosystems that are mostly hidden from human exploitation. However, human activities can impact the deep sea in many ways, including: 

  • Disposal of clinker, sewage, dredge spoil, and pharmaceuticals 
  • Exploitation through trawling, long-lining, ghost fishing, and mining 
  • Ocean acidification and climate change

Crustaceans grow by replacing their exoskeletons, a process called molting. The time it takes for a crab to grow a new shell after shedding its old one can range from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the crab’s size and species. 

After molting, the new shell is soft at first, making the crab vulnerable to predators. Within a few days, the shell hardens up, and it becomes very hard after a month. 

The life cycle of crustaceans starts from the nauplius stage, followed by the zoea larval stage and post-larval stage, and finally ends with the adult growth stage. 

Here are some examples of how long it takes for different crustaceans to grow to maturity:

  • Blue crabs Reach maturity at approximately 12 to 18 months of age, growing to approximately five inches wide. 
  • Lobsters Take 5 to 7 years to grow to the legal size to harvest, which is about 3.25 inches and weigh 1 pound. Lobsters grow more slowly as they get older. 
  • Mud crabs In aquaculture farms, post-nursery crabs reach marketable size and maturity in 6–7 months compared with 18–24 months under natural conditions. 

The life cycle of a crustacean includes:

  1. 1. Egg Crustaceans begin life as an egg. 
  2. 2. Larval stages Crustaceans go through a series of larval stages, molting several times, before reaching adulthood. The first larval stage for crabs, lobsters, shrimp, barnacles, copepods, and some other crustaceans is called a nauplius. 
  3. 3. Immature form The larva then undergoes metamorphosis into an immature form that resembles the adult. 
  4. 4. Adult form After further molts, the adult form is finally reached. Some crustaceans continue to molt as adults, while for others, the development of gonads signals the final molt. 
  5. 5. Adult growth stage Most crustaceans reach the adult growth stage by one year of age. After a year has passed, most crustacean varieties will be capable of mating and reproducing. 

The average lifespan of a decapod crustacean is 7.12 years. However, the maximum lifespan of a decapod crustacean can range from 40 days to 72 years

Here are some examples of the lifespans of different crab species:

  • Dungeness crab: 10 years 
  • King crab: 20–30 years 
  • Snow crab: 20 years 
  • Spider crab: 100 years 
  • Blue crab: 4 years 
  • Stone crab: 8 years 
  • Bairdi crab: 10 years 
  • Coconut crab: 60 years The lifespan of a crab can depend on its ability to avoid predators. For example, female blue crabs typically live 1–2 years, while male blue crabs typically live 1–3 years. However, some tagging studies have found blue crabs that are 5–8 years old. 

Crustaceans range in size from 0.1 mm parasites to the Japanese spider crab, which can have a leg span of up to 14 ft (4.3 m) and weigh 44 lb (20 kg). The North Atlantic lobster can weigh more than 40 pounds

The largest crustaceans belong to the Decapoda, which includes the American lobster and the giant Japanese spider crab. According to Guinness World Records, the heaviest crustacean ever recorded was an American lobster caught off Nova Scotia, Canada, weighing 20.1 kg (44.4 lb)

Crustaceans grow by molting, which is when they shed their exoskeleton and form a new one as they grow larger. This process allows them to continuously increase in size

Most crustaceans live in water, but a few have adapted to life on land. These include: Terrestrial crabs, Terrestrial hermit crabs, Woodlice, Land crabs, Terrestrial isopods. 

Crustaceans have adapted to land through various modifications, including: Morphological, Physiological, Biochemical, Behavioral. 

Some of these modifications are shared by all land-dwelling crustaceans, while others are unique to animals within a particular habitat

Terrestrial crustaceans still need water or damp places to live. For example, lobsters can survive temporarily on land, but only as long as their gills remain moist. Once their gills dry out, they lose their capacity to extract oxygen, leading to suffocation

In most areas, terrestrial isopods (pillbugs and sowbugs) are the only fully terrestrial crustaceans

Terrestrial crabs and woodlice are other examples of crustaceans that live on land. Most woodlice live in damp places, but some species can survive in deserts. 

Crustaceans are animals with segmented bodies and belong to the same phylum as insects and spiders. Some examples of crustaceans include lobsters, crabs, shrimps, wood lice, barnacles, and water fleas

The Malacostraca are the largest group of crustaceans, with over 40,000 species. Malacostracans are the most successful and numerous of the four major classes of crustaceans, making up more than two-thirds of all living crustacean species. 

The largest group of crustaceans is the decapoda, which includes shrimp, lobsters, hermit crabs, squat lobsters, porcelain crabs, and true crabs. Most of the most conspicuous and economically important crustaceans belong to the order Decapoda

Here are some types of crustaceans:

  • Decapods These crustaceans have five pairs of legs, including crabs, lobsters, prawns, and shrimps. 
  • Barnacles These crustaceans have hard calcium plates that look like a mollusk shell, but they are actually related to shrimps, lobsters, and crabs. 
  • Crayfish These crustaceans are classified as decapod crustaceans, which is the same family group as prawns, lobsters, crabs, and shrimps. 
  • Krill These small shrimp-like crustaceans live in huge swarms in the open ocean. They are an essential part of the marine food chain and are vital species in Antarctic ecosystems. 
  • Mantis shrimp These crustaceans are a separate group of 450 species called stomapod. They have a thick shell that covers the back of the head and the first four segments of the main body. Other types of crustaceans include:
    • Woodlice 
    • Parasites, such as Rhizocephala, fish lice, and tongue worms 
    • Sessile, such as barnacles 

The major groups of CrustaceansThere are over 50,000 known species of crustaceans divided into a number of major groups – the Branchiopods, the Maxillopods, the Ostracods and the Malacostraca

Yes, Booralana nickorum is a new deep-sea crustacean species discovered in the Bahamas. The isopod was found in Bahamian waters at depths of more than 500 meters

The discovery of Booralana nickorum highlights how little is known about oceanic life. It also helps us understand the role these creatures play in the deep-sea ecosystem and their contribution to ocean biodiversity. 

The new species is the fourth to be assigned to the genus and the second species described from the Western North Atlantic. It has several distinguishing morphological characteristics, including a sub-triangular pleotelson (tail). 

The Bahamas has some of the deepest and steepest underwater canyons in the world, plunging from shallow, coastal waters to depths of over 4,500 meters.

The new species, Booralana nickorum, is distinguished by unique morphological features, particularly in its pleotelson or ‘tail.’The discovery was made possible through a collaboration that included experts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, like Professor Duncan Irschick

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